90 VEGETABLE GARDENING. 



the surface and again commence their depredations. Cut 

 worms when full grown, are from one and a quarter to one 

 and three-quarter inches long and rather large in diameter 

 as compared with the length. Their skin is of some dull 

 color, smooth, with often dull stripes and bands. 



Remedies. Cut worms are most injurious in sod land or 

 land on which weeds have been permitted to grow in autumn, 

 or in land adjacent thereto. They are not liable to win- 

 ter over on any land that is kept free from weeds and grass in 

 autumn, since there is no food for them in such places. The 

 worms feed almost entirely by night, and hide during the day 

 time under clods or just under the surface of the ground near 

 where they have been working. In a small way they may be 

 dug out and destroyed, but in fields and on a large scale a 

 good remedy is to scatter baits of poisoned clover through 

 the fields This is easily prepared by dipping clover into Paris 

 green or London purple and water. Where cut worms are 

 abundant a larger amount than usual of seed should be 

 planted, that a good stand may be secured even if the worms 

 do get some of it. When plants such as cabbage, cauliflower 

 and tomatoes are planted out. it is a good plan to wrap the 

 plants with pieces of stout paper extending abount an inch 

 below and three inches above ground. When boxes or to- 

 mato cans are set around plants for shade, if all the worms 

 inside of them are destroyed, they afford good protection from 

 this pest. Spraying the plants with London purple or Paris 

 green is a good remedy. The moths of cut worms, as well as 

 such insects as adult wire worms and grub worms, may be 

 killed at night by means of a lantern suspended over a tub 

 of water having a little kerosene on its surface. This should 

 be done late in summer, when the moths are abundant. 



The Striped Cucumber Beetle. {Diabrotica vittata.) — This little 

 beetle attacks squash, cucumbers and melons 

 when they are young. By eating the foliage 



-^illllS anc ^ ten der stems they may cause the death of 



the young plants. When abundant it is a 



very difficult pest to combat. It appears in 

 Pig. 38. -Striped , J . , , 



cucumber beetle, the spring at just about the time the young 



squash plants are out of the ground, having wintered over in 



brush piles or other places affording protection. The beetle 



